Primary School Music Tour 2019
On Wednesday 16 October, the first Wednesday of Term 4, we went off on the Primary School Tour. This is where some of our music ensembles travel to four local primary schools and perform some pieces to showcase both our music program, talent and let them enjoy some music. This year the Classical Guitar Ensemble, Senior Band and Chamber Choir went along to perform. We played at Hampton Park, Hillcrest, West Morley and Inglewood Primary Schools. It was a bit of a tight squeeze between the first two schools, but everyone was really fast and efficient when it came to loading up the trailer with music stands and various percussion instruments.
We all played really well, and we could see the young students in the audience enjoying themselves too. A highlight was the Senior Bands' rendition of Fireflies by Owl City. A lot of the Primary School students knew this song and were singing along. One of the best parts of performing to a younger audience is how amazed they are by the variety of instruments. We all found it amusing – and very cute – as the children 'oohed' and 'ahhed' over some of the more unique instruments, like the French horn, bassoon and tuba. Ms. Juber likes to show them all the instruments we have in the bands, and what can be learnt at our school. Hopefully it sparked some interest to aspire to come join the Music Department at John Forrest to learn how to play them too!
What makes this performance opportunity so exciting is that we are inspiring the next generation of musicians. Hopefully as they watch us play our best after terms of rehearsal, they can see how hard work pays off and magnificent music is created through the collaborative effort of an ensemble. Quite simply, we hope it sounded good to them and one day they'll want to sound good too! It's always an honour to represent our school, especially when we are showcasing our talent. I can't wait to see the new students who come to our school on Tuesday afternoons next year (now opened for the Year fives, not just the Sixes)! Hopefully some of them were inspired by our performance.
Thank you to all the Primary Schools who allowed us to perform, all the students of the Ensembles, Mrs. Thyer and Ms. Juber for conducting and organising this trip, as well as Mr. Glossop who tagged along to drive one of the buses and help us set up and pack away.
Gabbi Bishop (Year 10)
